


So What?

by ComeHereForCoffeeBreak



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Courage, Halloween, M/M, Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26811676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ComeHereForCoffeeBreak/pseuds/ComeHereForCoffeeBreak
Summary: Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington struggles with old acquaintances and his modern way of thinking.
Kudos: 2





	So What?

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a writing competition by fanatical fics and where to find them.  
> (< 2000 words, Halloween, pumpkin and ghosts included)
> 
> Check my profile for the German version.

_Halloween 1992 - five-hundredth Deathday Party in Hogwarts_

"I mean why were these people here in the first place, not exactly the most pleasant place to be on

Halloween", resounded the voice of Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore through the sawing of the

musicians.

Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington turned to the speaker, who had been pestering him all evening. He

felt the anger bubbling inside him. How dare that preppy boy treat him like that at his own party. But

basically it was his own fault. To send the boy to clear up his affairs. As if he could not defend

himself. The small group of headless hunters had gathered around a pumpkin. It was covered with

white and green fluff and if you looked closely you could see something moving in it. Nick had asked

Hagrid a year ago to save one of the pumpkins for his party this year, and he had delivered. Not just

one, but five big faces were now spread around the room. This one had put little umbrellas and

straws into the opening and looked like a bizarre punch bowl. Goose bumps ran down Nicholas' back

as one of the three hunters bent down and walked through the pumpkin. Disgusting.

"It's not exactly as if you find particularly good company among ghosts," bawled the bearded hunter next to the leader.

"That's right, always the same old dumb faces," agreed his neighbour and knocked his head off his

shoulders.

All three began to bellow too loudly as the bearded man fished his head out of the pumpkin.

"Hey, Nick, you should try that! You can almost taste it that way," he shouted and held his head out

to him.

Nicholas forced himself to smile and tried to ignore the throbbing behind his temples and the heat

that was rising in his head.

"Igor, where's your head? Nick won't get rid of his for a sip of pumpkin if he can't even do it for

head polo!"

Another roar, while Igor put his head back in its proper place. Nicholas opened his fist, which he had

clenched unconsciously. He let his fingers crack and yet he stared over at the mockers with the same

tortured smile.

"Now don't stand over there like a watered poodle, come over and honour us with your company,"

Patrick shouted to him.

Nicholas gritted his teeth when he reluctantly joined them.

"Your Highness." The third man's voice dripped with sarcasm as he overdramatically bowed and

offered him the pumpkin. Nicholas waved him off.

"Well, it's not as if there wasn't enough for all of us," yelled Igor and laughed piercingly at his own

joke.

"We just had a very interesting conversation about our current company. Don't you think there are far fewer new ghosts now?", asked Patrick.

Nicholas nodded without thinking about it any further. He hardly ever left Hogwarts and no new ghosts had shown up here for several years.

"Sure, sure. But they also live differently. Hardly anyone has a good enemy to chase after death," said the third.

"Right you are, Garry!" agreed Igor

"Nick, an example. Here at Hogwarts. Now you've been a ghost for 500 years and who has come since?" Patrick addressed him directly.

The ghost addressed cleared its throat. He didn't know what Patrick was getting at, but he replied.

"Myrtle. She's joined us."

"Exactly! A whiny teenager. Because she wanted revenge for being made fun of. I mean really? Today's people don't have problems anymore and therefore their judgement suffers. They no longer have any sense of decency. No character! It's hard to imagine what they spend all day dealing with," Patrick replied.

Nicholas feels his jaw tightening. _Say something_ , he thought. He had spent a lot of time with these so "limited" people and he knew Patrick's statements were not true. Times were changing and so people did. _They are more enlightened, more honest, and so they can deal with more important things than false decency_ , he would have liked to throw at his head. But the only thing he brought out was an indefinable grunt, which his counterpart took as approval.

"So who could be next?" he asked into the round.

"Maybe the Potter boy from before, the way things are now," Igor replied.

"But he wouldn't come back as a ghost. Selfish. Probably would rather flee to his parents than face Voldemort," Garry replied.

"That's what I mean. In our time, people still gave everything to stop their enemies! No more backbone," said Patrick.

Thoughts rumble in Nicholas' head. Words formed and disappeared. He wanted to defend the boy. After all, he had come here just for him today and had even spoken to Patrick for him. But he could not get a word out.

"All right, who else?" asked Patrick as he gave Nicholas a spiteful side glance.

"Dumbledore," Garry replied, "he's by far the oldest."

"Absolutely, but he has no reason to stay here," Igor said.

"True. In his time, he also avoided fighting with Grindelwald at first. I don't think he would stay here for Voldemort now," Garry said.

"As far as I know, he never had a wife either," Patrick interjected.

"No, although I did hear something very interesting. Very disturbing," says Igor and lowers his voice, "He is said to have been in a romantic relationship with Grindelwald. That's why he did not attack at first."

"I don't believe it!" cried Garry astonished.

Nicholas tried to swallow the lump down his throat. In his years as a ghost he had seen many good and bad things come and go. Many of his prejudices were refuted. Due to the constant change of pupils and therefore new ways of thinking, he had to realize that acceptance was the most important thing of all in order to live together harmoniously and peacefully. And now he sat here and listened to the outdated thoughts from his youth again without a word against them.

"I was shocked too. I thought to myself, someone like that may live with children and teach them? No wonder they can't grow up to be good adults," Igor said.

Nicholas became sick. His hands began to tremble with rage. He had to say something. He sat there, silent and watched his friends being insulted. But his tongue wouldn't come loose even though he was fighting so hard.

"That's nothing, believe me. I have only recently seen a good young man in women's clothes on the street," Patrick replied.

"SO WHAT?" Bust it out of Nicholas.

The three of them start him in surprise.

"Excuse me?" Patrick replied hostile.

"I said: So what? What do you care what clothes someone wears or who he loves. It doesn't change anything, except maybe that there is a little more love and harmony in the world. And whoever has something against that should be ashamed.“

Three astonished faces stared at him as Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington turned his back on the three headless hunters and walked away. It was probably the first time he had ever stood up for his friends and for himself and that made him happier than any participation in the headless hunt could.


End file.
